Horror Comedy is a fantastic genre. There’s something beautiful about a film that not only doesn’t take itself seriously, but embraces its cheese and revels in it. One such film is the 2015 American film The Final Girls.
Directed by directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson the film was written by M.A. Fortin and Joshua John Miller the film stars Taissa Farmiga and Malin Åkerman, with supporting performances from Adam DeVine, Thomas Middleditch, Alia Shawkat, Alexander Ludwig, and Nina Dobrev.
Max (Farmiga) is the daughter of B-movie actress Amanda Cartwright (Åkerman) who has never been able to live down her role as Scream Queen Nancy in the 1986 slasher film Camp Bloodbath which has become a cult classic. One night, on the way home after an audition, the two get into a car accident and Amanda is killed.
On the third anniversary of her mother’s death, Amanda is with her friends Gertie (Shawkat) and Chris (Ludwig) when Gertie’s brother Duncan (Middleditch) convinces her to attend a special double-feature showing of Camp Bloodbath 1 and 2. At the screening, Max finds Vicki (Dobrev), her former best friend, is also in attendance.
An accident sets the theater on fire and the only way the five can escape is to cut through the screen. However, instead of ending up on the other side, they find themselves stuck inside the actual world of the film.
Once they realize where they are and what’s going on things get weird. Especially after they get into a van that’s taking the main characters (including Nancy) to the camp. Understandably shaken Max isn’t quite sure how to take in what is happening to her and her friends.
The characters in the van believe the interlopers are additional camp counselors, who hear the story of Billy Murphy, the antagonist of the film, and why he kills. Mere spectators at first, when the murders start to happen, the group does nothing to interfere, until they realize that not only can the characters who originally survived the film die, but so can they (RIP Duncan).
As they try to figure out how to survive, Max takes the time to get to know Nancy, even though she knows she’s not really her mother. Only by one everyone dies, except Max, who, as the only virgin of the group, awakens with the power of The Final Girl after Nancy sacrifices herself to save her. She wakes up in a hospital, where she is reunited with her friends (all of whom are alive again – but with scars). The group hears Billy Murphy’s theme, and realizes they are in Camp Bloodbath 2: Cruel Summer.
This film is a rollercoaster of awesomeness. Seriously, it’s one of my absolute favorites. Joshua Miller, who played Richie in one of my other favorite films Teen Witch has perfectly cultivated what makes a cult classic. The acting is on point and the soundtrack is killer! It’s just a lot of fun. For a minute there was talk of a sequel, but like Billy, I think that dream is dead. Still. I cannot recommend this film enough.
10/10
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